London desk

Filed from the London desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Business · 4 October 2026

Tesco's Unexpected Grape: A Shock Bid to Bottle the Wine Chain

Iris Quay, London desk

Tesco has made a surprise offer to acquire Britain’s largest specialist wine chain, Majestic Wine, promising to turn its aisles into a full‑blown oenophile experience. The move could either bring a new era of wine‑…

Business · 3 October 2026

Ofgem Nears Finalising Jarvis as Permanent Chief, Promises a Steady Hand on the Grid

Iris Quay, London desk

After months of interim leadership, Ofgem is close to appointing Tim Jarvis as its permanent chief, aiming to bring stability to the energy sector amid rising prices.

Business · 3 October 2026

Polymarket’s ‘Banking Doomsday’ Bets Send City into Mild Panic

Iris Quay, London desk

A prediction market has people betting on whether HSBC or Lloyds will collapse, prompting regulators to step in before the City’s nerves turn to panic.

Business · 3 October 2026

South Kensington Georgian Gilt‑ed Gentrified: Mansions Lose Their Midas Touch, Gain a Coffee‑Shop Discount

Iris Quay, London desk

In a twist of fate, London’s once‑glittering Georgian homes are now the latest victims of a housing market that prefers high‑street café prices to grandiose façades.

Business · 3 October 2026

Suppliers Threaten City’s Warmth as Energy Bills Rise to New Heights

Iris Quay, London desk

Energy suppliers stage protest outside Bank of England, demanding swift government action to curb soaring household bills, while the City’s elite scramble to keep the lights on.

Business · 3 October 2026

BT’s ‘Silent Switch’: Pausing Broadband to Push Digital Landlines—Customers Feel Like They’re on a Silent Date

Iris Quay, London desk

BT has been accused of temporarily cutting customers’ broadband to pressure them into upgrading to its digital landline service, sparking backlash and a wave of online complaints.

World · 3 October 2026

Axe‑wielding co‑pilot’s mid‑air tantrum foiled by unlikely heroics on Flydubai’s Tel Aviv flight

Celia Marsh, London desk

A Flydubai co‑pilot tried to axe the captain on a Tel Aviv‑bound flight, sending the aircraft 17,000 ft toward the carpet. Passengers, crew and an Indian pilot turned the drama into a surprisingly polite boarding�…

Business · 3 October 2026

TPG Ditches £10bn Offer to Chase Monzo Stake—Is the City’s New Reality Show Over?

Iris Quay, London desk

After abandoning a £10bn bid, private‑equity giant TPG has thrown its hat into the Monzo stake pot, prompting speculation that the firm is chasing more than a slice of the digital‑banking pie.

Politics · 3 October 2026

Kerry's Two‑Act Terror Plot: From Widdecombe to Farage

Reginald Penny, London desk

Joshua Kerry faces murder and bomb‑plot charges after a missing tea cup led police to a bizarre chain of events.